Middle meningeal artery patency after surgical evacuation for chronic subdural hematoma.

BACKGROUND: Chronic subdural hematoma (CSDH) often requires surgical evacuation, but recurrence rates remain high. Middle meningeal artery (MMA) embolization (MMAE) has been proposed as an alternative or adjunct treatment. There is concern that prior surgery might limit patency, access, penetration, and efficacy of MMAE, such that some recent trials excluded patients with prior craniotomy. However, the impact of prior open surgery on MMA patency has not been studied. METHODS: A retrospective analysis was conducted on patients who underwent MMAE for cSDH (2019-2022), after prior surgical evacuation or not. MMA patency was assessed using a six-point grading scale. RESULTS: Of the 109 MMAEs (84 patients, median age 72 years, 20.2% females), 58.7% were upfront MMAEs, while 41.3% were after prior surgery (20 craniotomies, 25 burr holes). Median hematoma thickness was 14 mm and midline shift 3 mm. Hematoma thickness reduction, surgical rescue, and functional outcome did not differ between MMAE subgroups and were not affected by MMA patency or total area of craniotomy or burr-holes. MMA patency was reduced in the craniotomy group only, specifically in the distal portion of the anterior division (p = 0.005), and correlated with craniotomy area (p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: MMA remains relatively patent after burr-hole evacuation of cSDH, while craniotomy typically only affects the frontal-distal division. However, MMA patency, evacuation method, and total area do not affect outcomes. These findings support the use of MMAE regardless of prior surgery and may influence future trial inclusion/exclusion criteria. Further studies are needed to optimize the timing and techniques for MMAE in cSDH management.

Clinical Accuracy, Relevance, Clarity, and Emotional Sensitivity of Large Language Models to Surgical Patient Questions: Cross-Sectional Study.

This cross-sectional study evaluates the clinical accuracy, relevance, clarity, and emotional sensitivity of responses to inquiries from patients undergoing surgery provided by large language models (LLMs), highlighting their potential as adjunct tools in patient communication and education. Our findings demonstrated high performance of LLMs across accuracy, relevance, clarity, and emotional sensitivity, with Anthropic's Claude 2 outperforming OpenAI's ChatGPT and Google's Bard, suggesting LLMs' potential to serve as complementary tools for enhanced information delivery and patient-surgeon interaction.

Multi-institutional review of characteristics and management of gunshot wounds to the spine.

BACKGROUND CONTEXT: Gunshot wounds (GSWs) to the vertebral column represent an important cause of morbidity and mortality in the United States, constituting approximately 20% of all spinal injuries. The management of these injuries is an understudied and controversial topic, given its heterogeneity and lack of follow-up data. PURPOSE: To characterize the management and follow-up of GSWs to the spine. STUDY DESIGN/SETTING: A multi-institutional retrospective review of the experience of two urban Level 1 trauma centers. PATIENT SAMPLE: Patients with GSWs to the spine between 2010-2021. OUTCOME MEASURES: Measures included work status, follow-up healthcare utilization, and pain management were collected. METHODS: Charts were reviewed for demographics, injury characteristics, surgery and medical management, and follow-up. Statistical analysis included T-tests and ANOVA for comparisons of continuous variables and chi-square testing for categorical variables. All statistics were performed on SPSS v24 (IBM, Armonk, NY). RESULTS: A total of 271 patients were included for analysis. The average age was 28 years old, 82.7% of patients were black, 90% were male, and 76.4% had Medicare/Medicaid. The thoracic spine (35%) was most commonly injured followed by lumbar (33.9%) and cervical (25.6%). Cervical GSW was associated with higher mortality (p<.001); 8.7% of patients developed subsequent osteomyelitis/discitis, 71.3% received prophylactic antibiotics, and 56.1% of cervical GSW had a confirmed vertebral or carotid artery injury. ASIA scores at presentation were most commonly A (26.9%), D (20.7%), or E (19.6%), followed by C (7.4%) and B (6.6%). 18.8% of patients were unable to be assessed at presentation. ASIA score declined in only 2 patients, while 15.5% improved over their hospital stay. Those who improved were more likely to have ASIA B injury (p<.001). Overall, 9.2% of patients underwent spinal surgery. Of these, 33% presented as ASIA A, 21% as ASIA B, 29% as ASIA C, and 13% as ASIA D. Surgery was not associated with an improvement in ASIA score. CONCLUSIONS: Given the ubiquitous and heterogeneous experience with GSWs to the spine, rigorous attempts should be made to define this population and its clinical and surgical outcomes. Here, we present an analysis of 11 years of patients presenting to two large trauma centers to elucidate patterns in presentation, management, and follow-up. We highlight that GSWs to the cervical spine are most often seen in young black male patients. They were associated with high mortality and high rates of injury to vertebral arteries and that surgical intervention did not alter rates of discitis/osteomyelitis or propensity for neurologic recovery; moreover, there was no incidence of delayed spinal instability in the study population.

Management and outcomes of cerebrovascular injuries after gunshot wounds to the cervical spine.

STUDY DESIGN: This study was a multicenter retrospective analysis of cervical spine gunshot wound (GSW) patients. OBJECTIVE: The present study was conducted to evaluate the management and outcomes of vascular injuries following GSW involving the cervical spine. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: Gunshot wounds (GSW) injuring the cervical spine are associated with high rates of vascular injury. METHODS: Charts of patients with GSW involving the cervical spine at two Level 1 trauma centers were reviewed from 2010 to 2021 for demographics, injury characteristics, management and follow-up. Statistical analysis included T tests and ANOVA for comparisons of continuous variables and chi-square testing for categorical variables, non-parametric tests were used when indicated. Beta-binomial models were used to estimate the probabilities outcomes. Bayesian regression models were utilized to compute risk ratios (RR) and their 95 % confidence intervals (CI) to enhance the inferential robustness. RESULTS: 40 patients with cervical spine GSW and associated cerebrovascular injury were included in our analysis. 15 % of patients had Biffl grade (BG) V injuries, 50 % grade IV, and 35 % grade III-I. Angiography was performed in 35 % of patients. 5 of these patients (BG V-III) required endovascular treatment for pseudoaneurysm obliteration or parent vessel sacrifice. 7 patients (22 %) showed evidence of progression. 70 % of patients were placed on antiplatelet therapy for stroke prevention. Bayesian regression models with a skeptical prior for cerebral ischemia revealed a mean RR of 4.82 (95 % CI 1.02-14.48) in the BG V group, 0.75 (95 % CI 0.13-2.26) in the BG IV group, and 0.61 (95 % CI 0.06-2.01) in the combined BG III-I group. For demise the mean RR was 3.41 (95 % CI 0.58-10.65) in the BG V group and 1.69 (95 % CI 0.29-5.97) in the BG IV group. In the high BG (V, IV) group, 54.55 % of patients treated with antiplatelet therapy had complications. None of the patients that were treated with antiplatelet therapy in the low BG (III-I) group had complications. CONCLUSIONS: Cervical spine GSWs are associated with high-grade vascular injuries and may require early endovascular intervention. Additionally, a high rate of injury progression was seen on follow up imaging, requiring subsequent intervention. Reintervention and demise were common and observed in high BG (V, IV) groups. The incidence of stroke was low, especially in low BG (I-III) groups, suggesting that daily aspirin prophylaxis is adequate for long-term stroke prevention.

The Use of Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning in Surgery: A Comprehensive Literature Review.

Interest in the use of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) in medicine has grown exponentially over the last few years. With its ability to enhance speed, precision, and efficiency, AI has immense potential, especially in the field of surgery. This article aims to provide a comprehensive literature review of artificial intelligence as it applies to surgery and discuss practical examples, current applications, and challenges to the adoption of this technology. Furthermore, we elaborate on the utility of natural language processing and computer vision in improving surgical outcomes, research, and patient care.

The Digital Impact of Neurosurgery Awareness Month: Retrospective Infodemiology Study.

BACKGROUND: Neurosurgery Awareness Month (August) was initiated by the American Association of Neurological Surgeons with the aim of bringing neurological conditions to the forefront and educating the public about these conditions. Digital media is an important tool for disseminating information and connecting with influencers, general public, and other stakeholders. Hence, it is crucial to understand the impact of awareness campaigns such as Neurosurgery Awareness Month to optimize resource allocation, quantify the efficiency and reach of these initiatives, and identify areas for improvement. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of our study was to examine the digital impact of Neurosurgery Awareness Month globally and identify areas for further improvement. METHODS: We used 4 social media (Twitter) assessment tools (Sprout Social, SocioViz, Sentiment Viz, and Symplur) and Google Trends to extract data using various search queries. Using regression analysis, trends were studied in the total number of tweets posted in August between 2014 and 2022. Two search queries were used in this analysis: one specifically targeting tweets related to Neurosurgery Awareness Month and the other isolating all neurosurgery-related posts. Total impressions and top influencers for #neurosurgery were calculated using Symplur's machine learning algorithm. To study the context of the tweets, we used SocioViz to isolate the top 100 popular hashtags, keywords, and collaborations between influencers. Network analysis was performed to illustrate the interactions and connections within the digital media environment using ForceAtlas2 model. Sentiment analysis was done to study the underlying emotion of the tweets. Google Trends was used to study the global search interest by studying relative search volume data. RESULTS: A total of 10,007 users were identified as tweeting about neurosurgery during Neurosurgery Awareness Month using the "#neurosurgery" hashtag. These tweets generated over 29.14 million impressions globally. Of the top 10 most influential users, 5 were faculty neurosurgeons at US university hospitals. Other influential users included notable organizations and journals in the field of neurosurgery. The network analysis of the top 100 influencers showed a collaboration rate of 81%. However, only 1.6% of the total neurosurgery tweets were advocating about neurosurgery awareness during Neurosurgery Awareness Month, and only 13 tweets were posted by verified users using the #neurosurgeryawarenessmonth hashtag. The sentiment analysis revealed that the majority of the tweets about Neurosurgery Awareness Month were pleasant with subdued emotion. CONCLUSIONS: The global digital impact of Neurosurgery Awareness Month is nascent, and support from other international organizations and neurosurgical influencers is needed to yield a significant digital reach. Increasing collaboration and involvement from underrepresented communities may help to increase the global reach. By better understanding the digital impact of Neurosurgery Awareness Month, future health care awareness campaigns can be optimized to increase global awareness of neurosurgery and the challenges facing the field.

Isolated Lymphomatoid Granulomatosis of the Central Nervous System Mimicking Trigeminal Neuropathy, Bell's Palsy, and Glioblastoma in an Epstein-Barr-Negative Immunocompetent Host: A Case Report.

Lymphomatoid granulomatosis is an Epstein-Barr virus-associated lymphoproliferative B-cell neoplasm that typically involves multiple organ systems. This disease is exceedingly rare when confined to the central nervous system (CNS), usually presenting as a mass lesion or diffuse disease, with no existing standard of care. We present the case of a 67-year-old patient who had a unique and insidious course of isolated CNS lymphomatoid granulomatosis. The disease first presented with cranial neuropathies involving the trigeminal and facial nerves that were responsive to steroids both clinically and radiographically. Two years later, the disease manifested as a parietal mass mimicking high-grade glioma that caused homonymous hemianopsia. The patient underwent craniotomy for resection and was treated with rituximab after surgery. The patient has achieved progression-free survival more than three years after the surgery. Surgical debulking and post-procedural rituximab resulted in favorable survival in a case of isolated CNS lymphomatoid granulomatosis. An intracranial mass preceded by steroid-responsive cranial neuropathies should raise suspicion for lymphoproliferative disorder.

Global and Gender Equity in Oligodendroglioma Research: A Comprehensive Bibliometric Analysis Following the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Oligodendrogliomas are rare brain tumors arising from oligodendrocytes; there is a limited understanding of their pathogenesis, which leads to challenges in diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment. This study aimed to conduct a comprehensive bibliometric analysis of the oligodendroglioma literature to assess the current state of research, identify research trends, and elucidate implications for future research. The Lens® database was used to retrieve journal articles related to "oligodendroglioma" without geographic or temporal restrictions. Year-on-year trends in publication and funding were analyzed. Global and gender equity were assessed using the Namsor® Application programming interface. Collaboration patterns were explored using network visualizations. Keyword analysis revealed the most prominent themes in oligodendroglioma research. Out of 9701 articles initially retrieved, 8381 scholarly journal articles were included in the final analysis. Publication trends showed a consistent increase until 2020, followed by a sharp decline likely due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Global representation revealed researchers from 86 countries, with limited participation from low and middle-income countries (LMICs). Gender inequity was evident, with 78.7% of researchers being male. Collaboration analysis revealed a highly interconnected research community. Prognosis, genetic aberrations (particularly "IDH" mutations), and therapeutic options (including chemotherapy and radiotherapy) emerged as dominant research themes. The COVID-19 pandemic impacted oligodendroglioma research funding and publication trends, highlighting the importance of robust funding mechanisms. Global and gender inequities in research participation underscore the need for fostering inclusive collaboration, especially in LMICs. The interconnected research community presents opportunities for knowledge exchange and innovation. Keyword analysis highlights current research trends and a shift to genetic and molecular understanding.

Comparison of Single-Level Posterior Cervical Foraminotomy to Anterior Cervical Discectomy and Fusion for Radiculopathy.

BACKGROUND: Posterior cervical foraminotomy (PCF) and anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF) are 2 commonly used surgical approaches to address cervical radiculopathy. Demonstrating superiority in clinical outcomes and durability of one of the approaches could change clinical practice on a large scale. This is the largest reported single-institutional retrospective cohort of single-level PCFs compared with single-level ACDFs for cervical radiculopathy. METHODS: Patients undergoing either ACDF or PCF between 2014 and 2021 were identified using Current Procedural Terminology codes. Medical records were reviewed for demographics, surgical characteristics, and reoperations. Statistical analysis included t tests for continuous characteristics and c2 testing for categorical characteristics. RESULTS: In total, 236 single-level ACDFs and 138 single-level PCFs were included. There was no significant difference in age (51.0 vs 51.3 years), body mass index (BMI; 28.6 vs 28.1), or Charlson Comorbidity Index (1.89 vs 1.68) between patients who underwent ACDF and those who underwent PCF. There was no difference in the rate of reoperation (5.1% vs 5.1%), time to reoperation (247 vs 319 days), or reoperation for recurrent symptoms (1.7% vs 2.9%) for ACDF vs PCF. Hospital length of stay (LOS) was longer for ACDF compared with PCF (1.65 vs 1.35 days, P = 0.041), and the overall readmission rate after ACDF was 20.8% vs 10.9% after PCF (P = 0.014). CONCLUSIONS: Overall reoperation rates or reoperation for recurrent symptoms between ACDF and PCF were not significantly different, demonstrating that either procedure effectively addresses the indication for surgery. There was a significantly longer LOS after ACDF than PCF, and readmission rates at 90 days and 1 year were higher after ACDF.

Role of Artificial Intelligence in Global Surgery: A Review of Opportunities and Challenges.

Global surgery broadly refers to a rapidly expanding multidisciplinary field concerned with providing better and equitable surgical care across international health systems. Global surgery initiatives primarily focus on capacity building, advocacy, education, research, and policy development in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). The inadequate surgical, anesthetic, and obstetric care currently contributes to 18 million preventable deaths each year. Hence, there is a growing interest in the rapid growth of artificial intelligence (AI) that provides a distinctive opportunity to enhance surgical services in LMICs. AI modalities have been used for personalizing surgical education, automating administrative tasks, and developing realistic and cost-effective simulation-training programs with provisions for people with special needs. Furthermore, AI may assist with providing insights for governance, infrastructure development, and monitoring/predicting stock take or logistics failure that can help in strengthening global surgery pillars. Numerous AI-assisted telemedicine-based platforms have allowed healthcare professionals to virtually assist in complex surgeries that may help to improve surgical accessibility across LMICs. Challenges in implementing AI technology include the misrepresentation of minority populations in the datasets leading to discriminatory bias. Human hesitancy, employment uncertainty, automation bias, and role of confounding factors need to be further studied for equitable utilization of AI. With a focused and evidence-based approach, AI could help several LMICs overcome bureaucratic inefficiency and develop more efficient surgical systems.

Comparison of Staged vs Same-Day Circumferential Spinal Fusions for Adult Spinal Deformity.

BACKGROUND: Patients often undergo circumferential (anterior and posterior) spinal fusions to maximize adult spinal deformity (ASD) correction and achieve adequate fusion. Currently, such procedures are performed in staged (ST) or same-day (SD) procedures with limited evidence to support either strategy. This study aims to compare perioperative outcomes and costs of ST vs SD circumferential ASD corrective surgeries. METHODS: This is a retrospective review of patients undergoing circumferential ASD surgeries between 2013 and 2018 in a single institution. Patient characteristics, preoperative comorbidities, surgical details, perioperative complications, readmissions, total hospital admission costs, and 90-day postoperative care costs were identified. All variables were tested for differences between ST and SD groups unadjusted and after applying inverse probability weighting (IPW), and the results before and after IPW were compared. RESULTS: The entire cohort included a total of 211 (ST = 50, SD = 161) patients, 100 of whom (ST = 44, SD = 56) underwent more than 4 levels fused posteriorly and anterior lumbar interbody fusion (ALIF). Although patient characteristics and comorbidities were not dissimilar between the ST and SD groups, both the number of levels fused in ALIF and posterior spinal fusion (PSF) were significantly different. Thus, using IPW, we were able to minimize the cohort incongruities in the number of levels fused in ALIF and PSF while maintaining comparable patient characteristics. In both the whole cohort and the long segment fusions, postoperative pulmonary embolism was more common in ST procedures. After adjustment utilizing IPW, both groups were not significantly different in disposition, 30-day readmissions, and reoperations. However, within the whole cohort and the long segment fusion cohort, the ST group continued to show significantly increased rates of pulmonary embolism, longer length of stay, and higher hospital admission costs compared with the SD group. CONCLUSIONS: Adjusted comparisons between ST and SD groups showed staging associated with significantly increased length of stay, risk of pulmonary embolism, and admission costs.

The Differences Between Same-Day and Staged (Circumferential) Fusion Surgery in Adult Spinal Deformity: Protocol for a Systematic Review.

BACKGROUND: Adult spinal deformity (ASD) is a deformity in the curvature of the adult spine. ASD includes a range of pathology that leads to decreased quality of life for patients as well as debilitating morbidities. Treatment can range from nonoperative management to long-segment surgical corrections and depends greatly on the deformity and patient profiles. If surgical treatment is indicated, circumferential (a combined anterior and posterior approach) fusion is one of the tools in the spine surgeon's armamentarium. Depending on the complexity, the procedure is either completed on the same day or staged. Determining whether to perform a circumferential surgery in a staged fashion is based largely on the surgeon's preference and perception of the individual case complexity; at present, there is no high-quality evidence that can be used to support that decision. OBJECTIVE: This paper presents the protocol for a systematic review that aims to investigate the differences between same-day versus staged circumferential fusion surgery in ASD both in patient selection and in outcomes. METHODS: Searches will be performed on MEDLINE, Embase, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Web of Science, and Scopus. Gray literature and the reference lists of articles included in the full-text screening will also be screened for inclusion. Results will be exported to Covidence. Data will be collected on demographics, type of procedures performed, surgery levels, blood loss, total operation time, length of stay, disposition, readmissions (30 days and 90 days), and perioperative complications. Patient-reported outcomes will also be assessed. Data quality assessment of randomized controlled trials will be performed using the Cochrane Collaboration's tool for assessing risk of bias in randomized trials, and nonrandomized studies will be assessed with the ROBINS-I (Risk of Bias in Non-randomized Studies of Interventions) tool. All screening, quality assessment, and data extraction will be done by 2 independent reviewers. A descriptive synthesis will be performed, and data will be evaluated for further analysis. RESULTS: This study is currently in the screening phase. There are no results yet. The search strategy has been developed and documented. Information has been exported to Covidence. Upon conclusion of the critical appraisal stage, screening and extraction, as well as a synthesis of the results, will be performed. CONCLUSIONS: The intended review will summarize the differences in perioperative outcomes and complications between same-day and staged (circumferential) fusion surgery in adult spinal deformity. It will also describe the patients selected for such procedures based on their demographics and pathology. Identified gaps in knowledge will provide insight into current limitations and guide further studies on this topic. TRIAL REGISTRATION: PROSPERO CRD42022339764; https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?RecordID=339764. INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID): PRR1-10.2196/42331.

Incidental Durotomy Repair in Lumbar Spine Surgery: Institutional Experience and Review of Literature.

STUDY DESIGN: : Retrospective Chart Review. OBJECTIVES: Incidental durotomies (IDs) are common spine surgery complications. In this study, we present a review on the most commonly utilized management strategies, report our institutional experience with case examples, and describe a stepwise management algorithm. METHODS: A retrospective review was performed of the electronic medical records of all patients who underwent a thoracolumbar or lumbar spine surgery between March 2017 and September 2019. Additionally, a literature review of the current management approaches to treat IDs and persistent postoperative CSF leaks following lumbar spine surgeries was performed. RESULTS: We looked at 1133 patients that underwent posterior thoracolumbar spine surgery. There was intraoperative evidence of ID in 116 cases. Based on our cohort and the current literature, we developed a progressive treatment algorithm for IDs that begins with a primary repair, which can be bolstered by dural sealants or a muscle patch. If this fails, the primary repair can be followed by a paraspinal muscle flap, as well as a lumbar drain. If the patient cannot be weaned from temporary CSF diversion, the final step in controlling postoperative leak is longterm CSF diversion via a lumboperitoneal shunt. In our experience, these shunts can be weaned once the patient has no further clinical or radiographic signs of CSF leak. CONCLUSIONS: There is no standardized management approach of IDs and CSF leaks in the literature. This article intends to provide a progressive treatment algorithm and contribute to the development process of a treatment consensus.